The complaint filed Thursday in an administrative court in Virginia accused the college of imposing unnecessary and discriminatory hurdles to employment for more than 100 non-U.S. citizens since 2007.

Under federal law, employers can't pose different or greater eligibility standards on non-citizens.

"Every individual who is authorized to work in this country has the right to know they will be free from discrimination as they look for a job, and that they will be on the same playing field as every other applicant or worker," said Thomas Perez, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's civil rights division.